Three months

Miss Mallory, you are three months old already! And although it’s hard to remember what life was like as a family of just 3, I still can’t believe that much time has already passed.

Shortly after you hit the two-month mark, you rolled over for the first time. You then did it non-stop for 48 hours before abruptly quitting. Seriously – I don’t think I saw you do it again until today, when I put you on your tummy, propped up on your elbows, and you expressed your displeasure at being so manipulated by flipping over. Well, at least we know you can still do it. It’s funny, you rarely express displeasure at anything… you are so calm, and so easygoing. Liam was a good baby, and overall a quiet baby, but if he didn’t like something (which, come to think of it, happened a lot) then by gum, he let you know it. You, on the other hand, put up with all sorts of crap, like Liam rubbing your head like a genie’s lamp every time he gets tired (i.e. about three times each day). I’m surprised you don’t have a big old bald spot on top by now. At three months old, you are just now starting to be able to pick things up, and it’s inevitable that they get shoved in your mouth. This is something I have been waiting for. You can entertain yourself now. Not that it necessarily means I am dumping you in the corner and leaving you to fend for yourself – I don’t mean it in a “yahoo!” way like that – it’s just nice that there is now stuff you can do, things that interest you, and learning going on. A couple of weeks ago we dusted off the exersaucer, which you love, and you really enjoy being put in there with some toys on the tray to pick up and suck on and check out. It’s the start of you playing, and it’s so cute to see. This month, being the best part of summer, we got out and about – a lot. We made a couple of trips to Stratford, went to the zoo and went strawberry picking, and visited Mitchell’s Bay several times. I played in a bocce ball tournament with you strapped onto my chest. You went to your first wedding. We are a lot more confident in taking you out with us than we were with Liam, and it’s a good thing, because we are that much busier now, on account of him.

You’ve settled into a groove I really enjoy: you are awake for most of the morning, stealing a few 20-minute catnaps here and there, and then after lunch you go down for a solid 3-hour sleep that almost always coincides with Liam’s nap. I rather like the predictability, and the break this affords me each afternoon! – because your night time sleeping habits are something else altogether, and I still often need a nap each day myself. You are usually up just once at night now, but you rarely go to bed before 10 p.m. This is one thing I hope DOES change by this time next month, because your father and I sort of forget what it’s like to be married right now. A few hours of adults-only time each day would be nice for us. See what you can do about that, OK? You took your 2-month shots like a champ, screaming bloody murder, to be sure, but returning to your normal happy state quickly thereafter. Today I had you weighed and attempted to measure you, and you clock in at 12 pounds 12 ounces and 24.5 inches. You are not a little pork chop baby; you have a cute amount of baby chub, but overall you’re a delicate little thing. All of your hair that fell out is starting to grow back in, and the hair you never lost is several inches long now, and arranges itself into a sweet little pompadour at the crown of your head. Your eyes are darker, but still have a twinge of grey/green that stop them just short of being brown. You are full of delightful baby noises now, coos and squeals and laughs – especially when Chad makes cooing noises back at you. You’re such a sweetheart, Miss Mal – I can’t believe I ever thought I would make it through life without a baby girl to love. You really do fill the empty spot in my heart I never knew existed. I’m so proud of you – I want to go ringing doorbells in the middle of the night to show you off. Instead I will just have to make do with taking a thousand and one pictures of you, and trying to remember all these moments as they pass oh so quickly.

Love,
Mom